Between July 26 and August 22, 2025, Singapore will host the prestigious World Aquatics Championships, featuring the WA Masters Championships next week, where approximately 6,000 athletes aged 25 and older from over 100 countries will compete in swimming, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming.
Representing Fiji at this event is the Dolphin Masters, a distinguished team of ten former senior international swimmers, many of whom were members of the original Dolphin Swimming Club founded in the 1970s. The roster includes:
– Sharon Smith, a seasoned competitor in the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, has been the National Fiji Coach since 1992.
– Jodie Browne, who is currently based in the UK and is Sharon Smith’s niece.
– Shayne Sorby, a former champion who won accolades as a young swimmer and now resides in Singapore.
– The Probert siblings: Harvie, Merran, and Lyndall, who have all won medals for Fiji at various South Pacific Games.
– Carl Probert, a celebrated five-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games representative, who continues to hold several national records for Fiji.
– Other notable members include Terrence Erasito, a former World Aquatics representative; Sandra Bernklau, who is currently based in Cambodia; and Tracy Powell, a medalist from the Pacific Games.
Paula Cokanasiga leads the team as coach, with support from Angela Probert, Charles, and Josephine St Julian. Lyndall Fisher, Sports Development Manager at FASANOC, expressed that the trip serves as a reunion for past swimmers, allowing them to enjoy competition in a modern context.
Previously, a Masters Swimming time trial event at the Damodar Aquatic Centre saw participation from several former Olympians, including Carl Probert and Sharon Smith. They emphasized the importance of such competitions in helping retired athletes stay active and engaged. Probert mentioned the potential for increasing participation in future events, indicating that these Masters competitions hold significant value, possibly even as impactful as the Olympics.
Overall, the upcoming championships represent both a competitive platform and a reunion for Fiji’s swimming community, fostering camaraderie and encouraging lifelong engagement with the sport. The narrative surrounding the Dolphin Masters is one of resilience, hope, and a celebration of past achievements in the realm of swimming.
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